Sunday Morning Podcast March 5, 2017. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: JOHN 5:1-9, 14
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
The paralyzed man each year made his way to the pool of Bethesda, hoping to be in first at the “moving of the waters” so he might be made whole. This scriptural account has by some been considered “just a story.” But later with research into history, it has been discovered to be true. This pool was considered to be a “ritual bath,” just as today there are religious rituals today that God has set in place to testify of a heart conversion (i.e. baptism). The pool in this scripture, was one that many attempted to first access the waters “troubled” by an angel, that brought the promise of being made whole. This account leads us to a spiritual application that is more than a place of ritual healing. For in a literal sense, these rituals are also often practiced by pagans. But it’s not this way with the healing from Christ. God’s power is not limited to the “moving of the waters.” The story here is that Jesus showed up!
All of us who do a “self examination,” will find that in some aspect we are incomplete, or not whole. This doesn’t necessarily mean, if we are a Christian, that we have backslidden into sin once again, but it means that we all need help from God. The longer one serves God, the greater the mind battles become. Satan knows he will not easily drag people back into sin, but instead he works for God’s children to become immobilized from being victorious. At this symbolic pool of Christ, we want to be made whole. Most separated from God, want to be connected to Him. But these have to truly want it. You have to recognize Satan only brings death, that you need to connect to Jesus in the midst of physical, mental, and or spiritual affliction. Are you tired of being “so close” without being made whole, tired of being “paid” the wages of sin? When God saves a soul, He does more than just talk to them, but brings one to the place that they can be made whole and free from the affliction of sin. To receive this healing, we must sacrifice our own will, ideas, and love or lust of this world.
We need help for the soul healing, wholeness, …transferred directly from God to us. We must beware, for our heart can deceive us to think there is an acceptable lesser way to becoming whole through Salvation. Satan can cause us to think that we no longer really need Christ’s healing holiness, to make and continue to keep us whole and pure. But we do need complete deliverance; otherwise even a worse spiritual condition will come upon our soul. God’s power can create a condition that will keep us from returning to sin. Do you find yourself “at the pool” seeking the deliverance, that will make and keep you whole? Jesus Christ is the answer!
Will you be made whole?